passports and all diplomatic relations with the Teuton empire
severed. On February 12, an attempt at negotiation came through the
Swiss minister who had been placed in charge of German diplomatic
interests in this country. The President promptly and emphatically
replied that no negotiations could be even considered until the
submarine order had been withdrawn.

On February 26, the lower house of congress voted formal permission for
the arming of American merchant ships as a protection against submarine
attacks, and appropriated one hundred million dollars for the arming and
insuring of the ships. A similar measure in the senate was defeated by
Senator Robert M. LaFollette of Wisconsin, acting under a loose rule of
the senate which permitted filibustering and unlimited debate. The
session of congress expired March 4, and the President immediately
called an extra session of the senate which amended its rules so that
the measure was passed.

Senator LaFollette's opposition to the war and some of his public
utterances outside the senate led to a demand for his expulsion from
that body. A committee of investigation was appointed which proceeded
perfunctorilly for about a year. The senator was never expelled but any
influence he may have had and any power to hamper the activities of the
government, were effectually killed for the duration of the war. The
suppression of the senator did not proceed so much from congress or the
White House, as from the press of the country. Without regard to views
or party, the newspapers of the nation voluntarily and patriotically
entered what has been termed a "conspiracy of silence" regarding the
activities of the Wisconsin senator. By refusing to print his name or
give him any sort of publicity he was effectively sidetracked and in a
short time the majority of the people of the country forgot his
existence. It was a striking demonstration that propaganda depends for
its effectiveness upon publicity, and has given rise to an order of
thought which contends that the newspapers should censor their own
columns and suppress movements that are detrimental or of evil tendency,
by ignoring them. Opposed to this is the view that the more publicity a
movement gets, and the fuller and franker the discussion it evokes, the
more quickly will its merits or demerits become apparent.

If any evidence was lacking of German duplicity, violation of promises
and general double-dealing, it came to light in the